Strange Comfort
by InvaderMads45321
Summary: The band has reunited once again but their presence back on the mainland is threatened by the demon "the Boogieman". Given the fact that they are no longer safe, how long will the stability of a run-down apartment complex's walls keep them protected? Within this drama, 2D begins to accept his feelings for a certain bandmate and romance ensues. Includes 2Nu pairing.
1. Prologue

(Prologue)

It was nearing sunset, the colors of the sky fading into the cool colors of blue. Street lights lit up and paved the way for street rats that scavenged the roads for morsels of food, and for higher-class workers hurrying to their families from their jobs.

Out on the bay, however, was a dock; peaceful waters rhythmically moving back and forth around the wooden poles that stood in the dark depths.

This water was disrupted, opening up to a large submarine. Out in the distance, water cascaded down another figure that protruded from the water; an abnormally large man surfacing from the waves and revealing a smooth, bald head.

Just as the man revealed himself, the escape hatch on the sub opened up to a green-skinned man with black stubble lining his jaw. Sitting atop his head was a sailor's cap and in his mouth was a small wooden pipe.

"Ahh, England. Nevah felt happier to see the mainland again. Oy, looks like Russ had a nice swim in that shitty ocean," the man cackled, nodding at the giant standing waist-deep in the sludge.

"Whales… large, scary fings… teef and awl… I fink I'm gonna be sick, Muds…"

The green-skinned man glanced away from the shoreline and looked to the submarine to see a blue-haired man crawling out on all fours, his own face a discolored green accompanying a grimace. Strapped to the top of his head was a clown mask and his un-kept hair stuck out in all directions.

The bluenette dry-heaved over the side of the boat and another person appeared from the submarine.

A woman in a short, white dress rimmed with red ribbon, climbed from the hatch and stepped onto the dock, accompanying the man with the sailor hat. "2D, it's fine. We're on the mainland and the whale is long-gone. Don't fret over something that isn't there anymore, Toochie."

Her purple hair swished over her shoulders as she turned her head back to the other man pacing the dock.

"Murdoc, you've come up with a plan for this, yeah? 'Cause if we stay out here in the open for too long, we will be found…"

Her hushed whisper was urgent as her eyes flicked from the sandy beach to the endless waters that were darkening as the sun was no longer visible in the distance.

"We'll be fine Noodle, just… stay here and get all of the gear ready. I'll go and find a cab or something that'll get us near a hotel; just keep an eye on the Dullard, he's nearly vomited what's left of his brains."

Murdoc adjusted his cap and set off, walking coolly down the harbor up to the roads that neared the view of the polluted beaches.

Noodle looked back to 2D who was sprawled out on the wet surface of the metal, groaning. Floating beside him was a collection of tan and crimson chunks that slowly sunk; the man had vomited for the fourth time that day, his fears overcoming his nerves and affecting his nausea.

The woman fixed her feline mask that hid a portion of her face, lifting it above her head. She then noticed another person coming from the opening of the sub.

It was a copy of herself; a cloned Noodle of when she was sixteen. Murdoc had built her when the real Noodle had been deemed dead from the accident on her refuge, Windmill Island.

Although it'd been years since the disappearance of Noodle, Russel, the band's drummer, had left too, in hopes to fix his own personal issues with paranormal troubles in his head. It was said that his ghost-friend, Del, who possessed him, was exorcised from him and it was a difficult goodbye for the drummer to cope with.

In these years that they both had been gone, Murdoc, their bassist, came with the plan to replace them with a cyborg that looked like the spitting-image of Noodle. It was a slave, a body-guard, a guitar player, melodica player, and drummer who attended to every command the satanic bassist ordered.

Seeing a mirror of herself, Noodle was sometimes shaken up and bothered; Murdoc replaced half of his band and didn't care to look for her. The importance of the band exceeded the real Noodle's protection and presence.

Although this infuriated Noodle, she decided to wave it off, as Murdoc was ornery and ignorant like that ever since the day she met the drunken Satanist. He rarely cared about a thing besides money, women, alcohol and of course, his band, Gorillaz.

Noodle eyed the robot that carried numerous boxes of luggage and band equipment out of the underwater ship and out onto the pier, it's moves orderly and precise.

She passed by the mounds of baggage and jumped back onto the ship, standing over the man who's face was welcomed to the smooth metal besides the edge of the water.

The young Asian woman crouched down and lugged the man up, supporting him with his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, Toochie. Let's get you settled on some stable ground, get some 7Up and find you a few Tums…"

* * *

(Author's Note)

Short. I know. But it's a nice intro for this new story I'm coming up with.

I have a previous story. It is the prequel to this one, called, "Don't You Worry Love". I recommend that you check that one out first so you know what all is happening. But, I'm sure if you skip it, this would be nice by itself too.

I'd really appreciate it if I could hear your thoughts about the intro to this. It's a vague chapter, but I'm skipping over too much detail. I'm getting on with the point of the story rather than rambling on about how the sea and the sunset look.

How do you like the tempo of the story? Do you like the narrative point of view or would you like to see a first-person aspect?

I'm hoping to not be TOO quick on the updates… I need time to check over for errors, and I'm in desperate need for a betareader. If you'd like to do that for this story, PM me for more details. I've never had a betareader, nor do I know the details of it all, so I need to be introduced.

On with the Author's Note; I don't own Gorillaz.


	2. Chapter 1

(2D's POV)

A small, cluttered taxi pulled up to the side of the road and parked before a looming hotel. Neon lit up the street and the last rays of sun stretched out on the horizon, the city electricity pooling down light on the garbage-filled roads. Pedestrians meandered down the sidewalks and ignorance played on every one of their faces.

2D pushed himself out of the cab immediately, his stomach lurching and brewing up a mix of car and sea-sickness. He'd only been in on land for fifteen minutes, trying to catch his breath and calm his raging stomach until Murdoc had dragged both Noodle and himself into a cramped taxi.

Russel followed along, of course, but seeing that he was still massive, he was served a place to rest on the roof of the hotel that stood before him.

Ignoring the people passing him questioning looks, 2D picked himself up and brushed off his clothes, allowing Noodle to exit the car behind him.

"Wot's the plan… Muds…?"

2D repressed a belch and blankly stared at the revolving doors that Murdoc was striding toward. His question was welcomed with nothing as the green man pushed his way through the entrance and into the five-star hotel.

He looked down beside him, rising his eyebrows to Noodle and only got a sympathetic shrug.

Behind him, he heard the trunk being opened and mechanical noises; the cyborg was unloading the vehicle of their junk.

Although the bluenette was still shaken up from the sight of other people, being back on the mainland and getting the taste of being home again, he figured it'd be nice to bring in some of the luggage. And so he did.

Both Noodle and Stuart unloaded the trunk and started after Murdoc, pushing through the doors and being welcomed with bus boys. Their bags were soon seen to fancy carts on wheels accompanied by polite and well-dressed employees seeking that their new guests were attended to.

2D snapped his gaze from the carved stone water-fountain in the center of the room when he heard the loud grumble of Murdoc a few feet away from him. He was waving a plastic key-card and starting off toward the hallway to the left.

He looked about once more, eyeing the common room and a small Starbucks station on the side, but he was already around the corner and headed toward their hotel suite.

"Wots the plan, Muds," he tried again, but his attempt at speaking to the bassist was useless as the Satanist was rambling on to the boy who pushed their luggage for them, saying they were the famous Gorillaz and that they've been working on a brand new CD soon to come out.

"Noods, wot ah we gonna do? We can't jus' stay here! Thah demon is gonna find us soonah or latah… We can't just sit back and wait for 'im to find us…I'm not ready to die!"

2D was fidgeting with the heavy suitcases in his hands as they stopped at their door, 116. Murdoc unlocked it and the door opened up to a large den with condo-styled furniture, cream and lime colors accented with dark mahogany woods.

Noodle, Stuart and the robot followed slowly after, looking about while Murdoc opened every door and locked himself in the bathroom, relieving himself.

Stuart found himself grinding his teeth after the bus boy left; it wasn't fair. Murdoc was putting them in a place that was both vulnerable and unstable. This was his fault!

But it was him that kept Stuart safe.

Noodle walked over to the couch, flopped down, and flipped on the television, sighing loudly as she did it. On the news was government paparazzi. The majesties and their newly born.

2D shrugged, frowning at the soft embrace between the powers. The Duke and the Duchess with a beautiful child; a family with so much to live for and so much love to give. It made him shudder and turn away.

Moments later, the bathroom door opened to Murdoc, buckling his pants and zipping them, "awlright ladies; I'm out. Goin to get a few drinks…Noods, keep an eye on the dullard. I'll be back…whenever."

A throb pulsed behind Stuarts left temple and he snapped.

"MUDS! WOT 'BOUT THE REASON WE CAME 'ERE?! Wot if thah thing finds us? Wot then?"

Noodle flinched and looked around, chewing the inside of her cheek and eyeing the two band mates. 2D was a foot away from Murdoc's face and he could feel the heat flush onto the back of his neck and prick at the tips of his ears.

"Ah, the bastard won't find us right away. Kick back and relax some. It's our first night back and I don't want to be stuck in this suite wasting the night when I could be out somewhere better. Maybe find a bird and take it from there."

Murdoc popped his neck and stretched his arms before him, popping his fingers and shoulder blades before opening up a suitcase and shrugging on a leather jacket. After that, he patted his back jeans pocket and nodded, assuring he had his wallet.

After a glance back at the small group he was going to leave behind, he whisked through the door and was gone.

"I agree with Murdoc-san, Toochie. I don't think the Boogieman will likely figure out where we are," Noodle got up from her place and walked over toward him to hold his hand.

She squeezed it and continued, "we can go out and find something to eat; get a drink or stay here. Oh… almost forgot,"

Noodle let go of 2D's large hand and he almost had to stop a frown from tracing his lips. He'd liked holding her hand, especially since she was gone and thought dead for the majority of the last few years. He'd appreciate any contact with her, whether it was simple small talk or even brushing eachother's fingertips. It made him smile a little.

He saw her walk over to the large bags and boxes that were still being dragged in from the cyborg; Noodle picked through the smaller bags, pushing through a mess of medicine, bath salts, shampoos, toothpaste and whatnot until she managed to pull out a small carton of the Tums that she mentioned earlier.

2D felt a pool of relief as she tossed them to him; he popped out two of the chewables and began to munch on them, grimacing from the distasteful remedy. Noodle dragged herself over to the small fridge off in the corner of the room and picked up a card that sat atop of the coolant.

She checked the fridge and cocked her head to the side before pulling out a can of soda.

"Ginger ale…? I didn't know hotels like this provide drinks, but I figure this will work just as well as 7UP, yeah?"

Noodle walked back and gave him the drink, "I'm going out; you can join if you'd like, but I'd like to celebrate with a beer downstairs, in the lobby. If you're feeling up to it, you can join and get a coffee instead. Starbucks has some pretty decent stuff."

2D processed this, taking a moment to swallow the grainy bits of his Tums before taking a swig of his drink. "Sure. Erm, they got decaf, yeah? Cos I'm pretty tired, but I dun' want to be alone…"

_Damn. I sound like a pansy! I can do this; man-up 2D…_

"I'd love to have you around, Stuart," Noodle looked from him to the cyborg that had finished unloading. The robot was now meandering about the rooms, checking the windows and the television before she took the stance of attention near the doorway.

"Noodle," she said her name aloud, a hesitant and awkward look spreading on her face before she continued, "you will keep guard of the room while were gone? I don't suspect we'll be out long, but since Muds has the key…will you open up for us when we get back?"

The cyborg replied in monotone, "yes, Noodle. Master's orders were to stay positioned at the base until told to do otherwise. Unless you have a change of direct orders, I am to stay here and follow any member of the band's requests."

The cyborg's salute receded and she flipped back to her position, unmoving and silent.

"O…kay… Do you have everything you want to bring, Toochie?" Noodle asked as she went over to her baggage and pulled out a wallet, a hair band and adjusted the mask that was attached atop her head.

2D shook his head and was welcomed with her warm hand again before they headed out of the room and into the soft lighting of the corridor in the hotel.

* * *

(Author's Note)

I find these chapters more convenient and decreases how descriptive my writing is. I'm trying my hardest not to make things too detailed; it's just the way I write. But I hope you like it anyway, for a first chapter.

Murdoc is getting shitfaced. Great.

I hope you review. I need them since it's the sequel and the beginning of it. Am I headed in the right direction? Is it too descriptive like the last story? Or just right? Do you see any flaws? Should I fix up the dialogue since they're native people from England?

Help me out here. Reviews do a lot for me.

Thanks guys! I don't own Gorillaz.


	3. Chapter 2

(Noodle's POV)

Downstairs, near the lobby of the hotel was a large, cozy common room. Off to the end, perpendicular to the massive stone fireplace was a bar and a Starbucks station. Although the five-star temporary home was mostly busy, the night life wasn't that crowded. Only a few booths were occupied and one barstool was taken from a man whose back was turned to them.

Noodle let go of 2D's hand and meandered through the couches and booths until she rested herself on a small seat before the bar.

Tending to the drinks was a young woman, about her age, maybe a little older- her hair was tied back into a messy up-do and it cascaded down to her shoulders in dark, wavy blonde locks. She was quite obviously pretty, but she didn't seem to try or care, for she was too busy rubbing soap spots off of the glasses set out before her.

"Hey there, seems like you've had a long day," the woman eyed Noodle and 2D, chewing the inside of her lips as she spotted the bluenette with his two eight-ball fractures.

The woman smiled at both of them, shrugging off their appearances and giving them warm smiles.

"Yew haf… no idea…"

Noodle felt 2D slouch beside her on a stool, an arm propping his forehead up while he bent over the counter.

"Long trip? Is this a pit stop or are you staying here in Sheerness?"

The woman hadn't stopped her chore of cleaning the shot glasses, but her attention was perked up and looking at the two, interest sparkling in her brown eyes.

Noodle spoke for 2D, noticing a vein pop out of his neck. He was obviously having one of his famous headaches, but she appreciated it all the same that he kept his pain to himself. He did not complain often, and when he did, it was certain that he was going through both mental and physical hell.

"Pit stop, I think. Erm, we've been out at sea for quite a while. We only recently got back in town so were settling down and came in to get a drink. It's been a hell of a ride coming back to England."

The bartender set down her glass.

"Oh sweetie…Well, now you're on the mainland, you can get some peace and quiet. Here- I'll spot you two some drinks; don't bother, it's on me."

Noodle smiled gratefully but 2D brought his eyes up and shook his head slowly, "I jus' need some coffee… thanks fo' the offah."

2D pushed himself up and staggered slightly to the coffee stand, mumbling to the uniformed employee that maintained the station.

Noodle's attention was brought back to the woman when the bartender continued, "where y'all from?"

"About a hundred or so miles off the coast. Me and Stuart over there are from the band, "Gorillaz" and we were all on this… "island getaway" as you would call it, making a new CD away from the media and paparazzi."

The employee did not seem phased; in fact, she seemed puzzled, but did not question their whereabouts any longer. Her face changed to a more brighter mood, "band? I've heard of Gorillaz before but I haven't gotten around to listening. What was that drink you were wanting to order?"

Noodle scoped out the hanging chalk menu before her and mumbled out, "Corona Lite."

The blonde turned about and opened up the glass fridge, pulling out the beer and setting it on the paper coaster before turning back around and placing a small plate of salted peanuts beside the alcohol.

Noodle uncapped the drink herself and took a swig.

"So, tell me what it's like being in a band; exciting?"

A large smile drew Noodle's lips as she recalled her past with Gorillaz. Being in Kong Studios and running about each room, strumming her unplugged guitar just to annoy Murdoc. She did, however, get a few curious glances from 2D and Russel.

But that was all back in the past, when she was a child and brand new to the life of England. Asian upbringing was strict, loyal and down to the point. She was rarely able to run about, do insane shenanigans with older men and materialize a tomboyish personality of her own.

"Definitely. Being the main guitarist, I've got a lot of pressure, but that's not to say that every member of the band has stress of their own. We first played gigs around London, in order to get a fanbase and everything pretty much started from there. Stuart," she nodded over to the coffee stand, "is the vocalist and pianist. He's pretty damn good at what he does."

2D was standing off to the side, glancing at the bar every so often. When Noodle looked over, she saw him shuffle in his place uncomfortably and blush, looking back to the man who poured his coffee and fixed it up for him.

Noodle giggled lightly before looking back to her drink.

"Murdoc, our lead bassist, is the guy who made all of it happen. He's scary as hell but you get used to it after living with him so long. He's almost like… an uncle to me. But he's still frightening, being Satanic and all…"

Noodle took another swig of her drink and popped a few of the salted nuts into her mouth, thankful for a reason to silence herself.

"Hmm…Satanist…? You guys aren't revolved around…-"

Noodle shook her head, "No, we're not all like him. We don't even write our music about it. That's just the way Murdoc is. You might have seen him walk out of the lobby; green-skin, black hair that's styled like a bowl cut… pointy teeth."

"Oh…him. Yeah he left here not too long ago. Seemed like he was in a hurry or something. What about your drummer?"

Noodle smiled again and she felt a warm presence return to her side again. Stuart had returned with his coffee and joined their conversation.

"Russewl? Aww, he's gotten pretty damn big. From the Americas. Russ is pretty much like the big brothah I nevah had."

2D took a sip from his coffee and rubbed his temple, "he raps in our music from time to time… but his skills ah the drums are phenomenal."

The bartender looked over to 2D, looking over his face with a sympathetic glance. "I don't remember seeing him come in. Did he go out with Murdoc?"

"HAH! Go out wif Muds? Who in the high hell would want to dew thah? Muds is probably goin' to get shitfaced and find some hooker off the streets- nobody wants to be there when thah happens. Russewl is spendin the night on the roof."

The reaction from the woman was of shock and was set mute. Her mouth hung open a little and Noodle grimaced at the badly worded description 2D gave her.

"Ah… being out in the water for so long can… mess things up. Russel was already big as it was and we went out for a swim and lets just say that radioactivity in the water made him a little… large. As in…the height of an apartment, large."

Noodle looked at the woman expectantly and only got a slow nod in return. The server went back to cleaning the glasses and they continued on with stories of band life.

* * *

(Russel's POV)

Getting situated on something as uncomfortable as the roof of a building was in no standards, humane. It was like trying to sleep on rocks and legos.

The chilly night air wasn't all that terrible, as the heat from his body provided warmth for him; but he wouldn't have minded a blanket or a pillow to take off some of the stress that was put on his shoulder blades and lower back.

So, instead, Russel pulled his large legs up and crossed them, pulling himself into a seated position.

The view from the height was quite beautiful, as he was given the sight to look out on the beach, and several sections of the beach-side city. Cars sneaked through the streets and neon lit up the shopping squares in the midst of town. The sun had pulled well past the horizon, but small traces of light still shown across the sky.

Peering out into the distance, several miles out to sea, was a tiny speck. A bruise in the orange and velvet horizon. It flew across the waves, like a cloud looking for something.

_The fuck…? Ah…probably just another commuter plane. Or maybe just a government protection thing…Whatever. I just hope it doesn't come over here and wake me up when I can find some sort of sleep on this bullshit that Muds suggested I chill on. Ugh…_

Russel shrugged and smoothed a hand over his dark, bald head, sighing tiredly.

The long swim wore him out and he was happy to say that he was ready for a good night's rest. He just wished he had something better to lie on other than lego-cushion.

He laid his body down once again, finding a semi-comfortable position before letting the waves lull him to sad dreams of his ghost and friend that will never be forgotten, Del.

* * *

(Author's Note)

They discuss things with a bartender… cool.

And that cute moment when 2D blushes at Noodle… I hope that was a cute relation to 2Nu love.

And this is my first Russel narrative. I hope it played out well. I just rather prefer to keep the story to just Noodle and 2D.

But I hope you understand why I added him in here. It was a small cliffhanger that was supposed to be vague, in a way.

I feel I'm getting descriptive… too descriptive. I don't know. But I feel it works.

Review!

I don't own Gorillaz.


	4. Chapter 3

(2D's POV)

It was a couple hours later that they had returned to their suite in the hotel. Noodle was a little buzzed by the alcohol, and Stuart was exhausted from the day's worth of chaos. The submarine ride, the whales swimming beside them in the water, the possibility of confronting the boogieman while they were at their weakest, in the small, claustrophobic transportation was mind-boggling.

With the heat of the coffee having scorched his throat, he kept his words to a minimal. The headache was still in action and he was desperately trying to ignore the loud pulsing of his blood in his ears. Why waste his breath when it was only going to make the pain worse?

As was expected, the cyborg Noodle lounging at the suite had opened the door to their arrival as she mentioned earlier.

"Welcome back. I am under every band mates orders for the night, so all requests are to be seen to.

2D looked about and saw the same living area that he visited earlier and appreciated the fact that the lights were all off except for a few lamps that bathed the room in a soft glow.

Looking up, he saw the bathroom door open and a corridor beside it, turning both ways and dividing the suite into a more structured and convenient home for the band.

In this notice, he began to wonder on the many thoughts that picked at his throbbing temples.

_That bartender was very nice; that's one more new fan that Muds will appreciate…How long are we staying here, cooped up in this hotel? Does it provide room service? If these pain killers won't kill me, the migraine obviously will… How large is this suite? When is Muds coming back? Where in the bloody Hell did he run off to? Why is the cyborg being so nice? How many bedrooms are there?! What's the deal with Noodle? I told her how I felt and kissed her just a few days ago but it's as if it never even happened…_

2D shuffled forward and looked about the small hallway which occupied four doors. Three of the rooms were bedrooms and the other was a closet, complete with hangers, extra toilet paper, soap bars and tiny shampoo and conditioner bottles ready at their disposal.

Shutting this door, he wandered into the farthest bedroom away from the light of the den.

A large double bed lay against the center of the wall, a large, coffee colored comforter and tan pillows were prepped on the bed. Accompanying this was a small, mahogany side table, accented with chrome handles and a lamp to pair. Before the bed, a small, flatscreen television hung on the wall and below this sat a matching mahogany dresser. Beside the TV was another door that he figured was a personal, installed bathroom of his own.

Over on the far wall, on the other side of the bed was a window that stretched from one side to the other, but it was halfway covered with brown, velvet curtains, leaving the room in a fair amount of darkness.

2D flicked on the lamp and sat on the bed with a sigh, almost put down. He appreciated those last few nights he spent at Plastic Beach, having the sensation that he was missed, or even loved. It mended a part of him that he'd lost and having Noodle sleep beside him like old times was uplifting.

But now, with three rooms to suffice, he will have to ignore the loneliness once more. Noodle was provided a room with the same luxuries. He rarely was given quality rooms such as this, but even though the appreciation was there, he wanted to share it with Noodle.

2D popped his neck and propped himself back on his feet, walking lightly back into the living area to receive his personal belongings and dragged them back into his desired room.

In this, he heard shuffling in the kitchen and looked over to see Noodle behind the small bar with a package of ramen noodles and a large cooking pot.

"Toochie, we haven't eaten for a few hours so I figured we should have some ramen. Care for a bowl?"

Noodle looked to him, a sympathetic smile pulling at her lips. Stuart nodded numbly and continued back to his room, his eyelid twitching from pain.

Once he dropped his bags onto his bed, he dug through them and picked out a change of clothes: a pair of navy pajama pants and some underwear. He continued through his belongings and grabbed his deodorant, his toothbrush and toothpaste, and took himself to his personal bathroom.

After a pathetic attempt at figuring out the workings of the showerhead, he set the temperature to high and began to strip himself of his clothes, glaring at his defined ribcage in disgust as he did so.

A sharp pain in his head brought him to his senses and he wrapped a towel around his torso, going back into his room in hopes of finding his medication bottle. In his misfortune, it was gone and he was left to the pain that pressed against the back of his eyes and up against his eyebrows.

He fumbled through his suitcase but failed to find his reliever. Returning to the small bag that held an assortment of miscellaneous items, he was disappointed for the third time in attempts to find the pills.

Sighing in aggravation, he trudged back to the bathroom and into the enticing warmth of his shower.

* * *

(Noodle's POV)

2D had headed into his room and she decided to mind her own business. Although he seemed quiet on the way back to the room, she knew that it was better to keep her mouth shut, especially since he had shown signs of a headache earlier that night. So, in hopes to stay considerate, Noodle reminisced in the silence.

But now that he was out of sight, she could head into the kitchen and find something to eat. She checked the small counter and the cupboard that hung above, finding another note similar to the one on the miniature fridge in the den. Inside was a twelve-pack of chicken flavored ramen noodles, and below the counter were a variety of cooking pans meant to be used on the neighboring stove.

Taking out a large pot, she stood up and looked over to the living room, finding 2D walking back to his room again, carrying several bags at once that would have been difficult to do for the average guy, but he did it with ease. His face seemed to have the soft give of sadness.

""Toochie, we haven't eaten for a few hours so I figured we should have some ramen. Care for a bowl?"

2D glanced at her, his eye catching hers and she couldn't help but pity him. His eyelid twitched and she could tell he was still hurting. He simply nodded and went back into his room without a word, his head hanging low.

Noodle's mouth formed a thin line and she went to the sink to fill the pot with water. Setting it on the stove, she set the stove on high and wandered back to the hallway where 2D had receded to.

His door was slightly ajar but she checked another room, finding one similar to Stuarts with the matching bed, dresser and television but with different earthy colors. In this room, the bed had a creamy beige cover the fluffy comforter and instead of the dark woods, it was a rustic tan.

She heard more shuffling in 2D's room and heard the pipes rush with water on the other side of the wall. Noodle headed back into the hall and she stopped in mid-stride, hearing an exhausted groan come from his door along with some items clanking and moving about.

Her interest took over and she tiptoed to the cracked door, peeking through to see him, wrapped in just a towel, pushing through his things with a small frown on his face. Although it was uncomfortable peeping through a man's door and seeing him almost naked, she was more worried about what he was looking for and why his face seemed to look so distant.

It was moments later that Stuart gave up on his search for it and he wandered over to another open door in which he closed. The sound of the shower was muted and she was left in silence.

Then it struck her; she had taken Stuart's medicine on the ride back to the mainland. Stuart had seen her do so, but he was only paying attention so much because he was focusing on "not thinkin' 'bout the whale".

Noodle looked down and began to feel upset. If it weren't for her, 2D would be taking something to ease his headache. But she knew better than to keep him in possession of the tablets; he would abuse the use of it and take several too many, probably ending in a drugged comatose for several hours. She knew that in these times he was unconscious, he was tormented by his dreamscape; and she knew, the day she saw him thrashing in his bed at Plastic Beach, that she never wanted to see him be put through the agony of fear again.

Noodle bit her lip hard, guilt washing over her and letting 2D's aggravated tiredness ring in her ears again until her feet took her back to the kitchen to tend to the water that was now boiling on the stove.

Was stealing Stuart's medicine the right thing to do…?

* * *

(Author's Note)

I'm alive! I haven't died but my laptop is on it's last leg. The battery is worth less than shit but it's definitely trying to work.

My apologies for the late update. I've had wisdom teeth removed, bed rest, my laptop battery being stupid and friends and family to attend to. I've been seriously busy.

I hope this chapter was enough for you guys but I'm hoping on posting another chapter here in a few days.

Going to a concert on Saturday, so I might not then, and I have quite a bit tomorrow, so my schedule is limited for access to write. Bear with me, school is starting up again pretty soon, so that will also delay chapter updates for you readers out there who are still tagging along!

Review and PM me for opinions, questions, and thoughts on the story! I'd love to write back and give some feedback.

I don't own Gorillaz, but I sure as Hell love them.


	5. Chapter 4

(2D's POV)

The temperature change from the warm steam in the bathroom to the cold chill of his hotel bedroom made his back ripple with goosebumps as he snuck towards his bed.

His room was swallowed in darkness and all that provided light were the sources of his bedside lamp and the bathroom light that silhouetted his tall, lanky figure.

Stuart suppressed a yawn, shivering from the unnaturally cold air in his room while he fumbled through his assortment of bags, looking for his clean change of clothes and stick of deodorant.

After applying his necessities and buttoning his faded jeans, he suppressed yet another yawn and winced from the dull throb that flooded behind his eyes.

Fingering the soft cotton t-shirt between his thumb and fingers, he brought his thoughts back to before the shower; he hadn't found his medicine and the shower was the only reliever that sufficed for the pain that swelled in his head. He had better find his prescriptions quickly before things take a turn for the worst.

He exchanged the shirt into one hand and he walked over to the other bags that contained the bed. Checking each and every bit of luggage, his searches failed him and he was left to disappointment once again, an irritated sigh rising in his throat.

A soft knocking sounded at his door and 2D swiveled around, wiping the grimace off his face and continued putting his shirt back on.

"Yeh?"

"Ramen is done…I heated it back up for you since your shower took a little longer than I thought."

It was Noodle. That unmistakable voice that carried bittersweet memories and the sad songs he'd written at Plastic Beach. Having her around now was normal, but it was still a shock that her death had been a lie.

Now his beautiful and grown-up bandmate who had returned to the band, made ramen for him.

Shrugging his head through his shirt, he smiled painfully and said, "thanks, Love. I'll eat ih' in a bit. Um, Noods, d' yew know where mah meds are? I've checked all mah baggage but I cun' find 'em anywhere."

2D took his attention to his bags but he could see in through the corner of his eye that Noodle was fidgeting uncomfortably. It was odd, how her mood changed when he mentioned his prescription, but he kept his mouth shut and squinted his eyes at the glass wall before him. It was mostly covered with large curtains, but a sliver was left open, revealing the royal blues of the evening sky.

He was still cold.

"Um…about that…"

2D set his bags onto the floor and he took a seat on his bed, looking at Noodle expectantly. Her face was downcast as she spoke.

"I…don't want to see you resort to your prescriptions every time you have a headache. I don't know if you're in major pain…but I just don't want to see you dead anytime soon because you accidentally take one too many of them..."

Her voice trailed off and she turned on her heels, heading back to the living area.

Stuart furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, tiny wrinkles lining his forehead. Narrowing his eyes at the door, he immediately got up to follow her.

_She took my pills? How did she know which bag they were in? Didn't I keep them in my pocket on the trip back to the mainland? Why can't she trust me? My head hurts._

"I can handle mahself, Noods. I've been takin' mah pain meds for the past how many years now? And I haven't died yeh…," 2D kept his discomfort off of his face and curiously stared at Noodle who stepped into the kitchen only to come back out with a steaming bowl of what was probably the ramen she mentioned.

The aroma of chicken seasonings wafted in the rooms, dragging 2D from his thoughts. His last meal was at Plastic Beach and that was over a day ago. He hadn't even had breakfast that morning and it was almost midnight, or so he thought.

A loud cry of approval rang from his stomach and Stuart gladly accepted the meal with both hands. He took a seat at the small bar beside the kitchen and he began to eat.

"Your medicine intake has been tripled since the last time I saw you. In fact, when I saw you take your last dose, you didn't even care to count."

Noodle decided not to take a seat; rather, she began to pace the den, his back to her while he quickly downed his bowl of noodles. Her nervous actions made him feel uneasy. Dropping the fork in his bowl, he let his mind wander to the last time he'd succumb to the tablets.

It was the day that Noodle found him in a mess of hysterics and terror. He was huddled against his wall and was convinced it was all a dream. Instead of accepting the reality, he shoved the pills in his mouth and she was right; he didn't even keep track of the dose.

Recalling farther back into the past, he could barely even remember his legal amount prescribed to him. Was it 2 tablets? Three?

Now it was five. The glorious in-between of zero and the big one-oh. But despite the number, the amount of pain that increased since El Manana was incredulous. The hurt was so strong he was surprised it hadn't caused him frequent blackouts and spontaneous head combustions.

"Yeh, well…things got really bad when yew 'died'. Muds kidnapped meh against mah will to thah bloody island and thah wos the end of mah free will until yew came back. Which wos almost…five years… Night terrors and Muds flippin' shit about how the band will nevah die with his new creation!"

2D waved one of his arms to the ignorant robot in the corner of the room while he turned about in his stool seat. He brought his eyes to Noodle's, searching for some sort of understanding but all he found was disappointment.

"Not only were yew gone…but Russewl wasn't there to help me through any of ih. He was gone doing hell knows wot in the States. I was _alone_ in the most deserted, isolated part of this world… Unless Murdoc needed help with the progression of the new CD, I wos left to myself in my room to twiddle my thumbs and cry under watch of a massive whale," his voice broke at the thought of the giant creature.

"And every day, every time I wanted out of mah room, I'd find yew. I'd find yew in mah wake and dreams. Yew nevah left. The cyborg was just a reminder thah yew were dead and gone. Jus' like everything else. Yew showing up out of the blue just made me think mah head wos going bonkers. Just anothah dream. Or a hallucination…so what better way than to sleep it off, yeh?"

2D began to feel pinpricks at the back of his eyes and heat scorching behind his eyelids. He was going to cry.

He turned back around and faced his ramen, the stringy noodles providing only a few bites left.

His appetite was gone and the pounding in his head made his eyes twitch.

"Oy, can I have my meds now," his voice cracked into a desperate moan. He got up from his chair, took the bowl and dumped it in the sink, sucking in a harsh breath and holding it. Blinking furiously, Stuart pushed back the pool of tears that threatened the corners of his eyes.

Coughing angrily, Stuart turned around and he heard the sound of that familiar bottle cap and the magic clanking of resentment in a prescription container.

Stepping before Noodle, he gnashed his teeth, breathing through his nose before his face relaxed again, completely blank.

She screwed the cap back on the bottle and she dropped the tablets into his hand, two, tiny bits of his life in his large palm.

"I'm sorry, Toochie. I'm sorry you're hurting. I'm sorry you've been neglected for the past few years. And I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you. But…"

Noodle went on and he managed to tune her out as he dry-swallowed his pills and began to just stare at her.

_But none of the past matter's now. She's here. Russ is here. Muds is out getting shitfaced and I'm free… I'm home. We're home…_

2D, still ignoring Noodle's speech, wrapped his arms around her and held her, laying his cheek upon her head.

As was expected, she immediately stopped talking and hugged him back, burying her small head into his chest.

"Noodle, I dun' care if yew took mah meds… Yew jus' need to understand thah I need them…They're important. Yew are important." He kissed her head gently and he blinked hard again, wishing away the headache and the tears that came with it.

2D pulled away, the warmth of her body receding and feeling a whole chunk of his self esteem tearing from him.

"Thank's for the food, Noods… I'm ah… I'm goin' to bed."

Stuart started for the hallway but stopped abruptly as he looked at the two other bedrooms, a skip of a heartbeat when he realized his intimate time with Noodle now ended with the surplus of rooms.

Another hot, prickly sensation formed on the back of his neck and on the tips of his ears as he shifted on his feet, eyeing the mahogany door frames.

2D turned halfway to look at Noodle and back to the hallway, fumbling with his fingers and tripping over his tongue.

"W-would yew… ah… would yew mind if ah… yew joined me… tonight?"

_Nailed it._

He looked up, his eyes flashing from the floor to her face, more heat rushing to his cheekbones.

Noodle was speechless for a moment, giving him a surprised and embarrassed look herself. But after a few moments of consideration, she gave him a shy smile and whispered, "sure".

Stuart smiled back at her lightly before turning back to his room.

And so, 2D began to arrange his luggage into one of the corners of his room. He tossed his dirty clothes into a pile beside that before ripping the comforter off of the bed.

It was common sense to take off the comforter; no hotel ever washed them and it was just unsanitary and a nuisance to have when you already had a thermal blanket provided under it, fully washed and all.

2D hid a smile, pressing his lips against each other as he fixed the bedspread.

Another night to spend with the girl he knew he loved. Another night to spend with the girl he dreamed of but never dared wish for. Another night to spend with the woman he knew he'd never let go again. This was reality. This was life.

Straightening his back, he stood up and walked over to the window, the large curtains looming over him but granting him one sliver of sky to look upon.

The stars were out; of course, they weren't showing by the millions because of the light of the city, but they were pretty enough to look at. And out before him was the vast sea, the waves tugging at the shore. Cars bunched up at the intersections below and above, he could see flashes of helicopters patrolling the skies.

They only had so much time to hide. How long would it take for the Boogieman to find them and begin his assault on them and the surrounding city?

He could hear the door open and close behind him and 2D looked over to see Noodle, changed in a pair of grey sweats and a fitting tank top.

Her sleek indigo hair was pulled back into a messy bun and on her face read an expression that was questionable.

"Toochie…what will happen if Murdoc comes back and wonders where I am…?"

Stuart sighed and he took his eyes to the glass view again, dragging his hand down the side of his face and wiping away the few strands of hair that wandered into his eyes. He hadn't figured that possibility to even come up; would he be in a drunken stupor and come rapping at his door, wondering what happened to his bandmates or would he be out the whole night, shitfaced in the lobby downstairs, talking to the bartender and flirting for who knows how long? There could be endless results to how the night would end, but Stuart wasn't about to let Murdoc ruin it.

Moving away from the curtains, 2D went over to the door and checked the chrome knob. It had a button lock for privacy, but on the other side was a small hole for a cylindrical key to open it from the other side.

Considering the fact that either way, Murdoc would come home shitfaced, he would have no idea how to use the key properly, and or, figure out where it is. If and when he came to the point where he would care enough to find it, his body would be pushed to it's limits and he'd be passed out on the couch or in his own room.

2D peeked through the doorway and out of the hall, taking a quick glance at the droid over on the far wall. Her attentive position was now slouched over and sparking. The clone zaps with electricity but then slouches back into it's position, useless and unaware.

Stuart took himself back to his room, locked the door and crawled into the bed, followed up by his tiny companion, Noodle. Although the bed was quite large, they decided to lie close together, face-to-face in the darkness of the room.

2D reached over and flicked off the lamp before facing the young woman, whispering gently, "goodnight, Love. Thank yew…"

For the last time that night, Stuart bent his neck to kiss her forehead. He pulled away and gave her space, considering perimeters and comfort zones.

Comprehending the obvious, like Noodle knowing 2D's feelings for her—despite the giant age-gap, the Boogieman wandering the streets, seas and skies of Europe just to exterminate the band, returning to the mainland for such consequences and having Noodle and Russel return to the band altogether was plenty to deal with. Messing up his chances with Noodle by not giving her the space she secretly may want and or/ need, could mess everything up for him.

"Goodnight, Toochie," Noodle whispered.

It had been a few minutes since 2D had taken his meds, but the drowsiness was finally kicking in and his heavy eyelids finally dragged him to sleep.

* * *

(Author's Note& Apology)

Sorry guys. Junior year of highschool is really kicking my butt with Algebra II. Theres homework galore and sticking the time to write chapters for this story in my load of stuff to do is really, really difficult. But I'm doing all I can to continue this story.

I don't know at all when my next chapter update will be. But please review and message me to let me know you're still in on the story and you're still keeping tabs on all of this.

How do you feel this chapter went? I mean, the emotion hopped around a lot, but I had to cram all of that into once chapter instead of elaborate on a lot of small things.

The way I write, I limit myself to about a thousand words. I ended up writing 2000+ words cause of all the extra. But I felt it was needed.

Whatever, y'know? I'm rambling and anyone reading this may be going crazy.

ENJOY MY CRAZINESS!

Thanks for reading. I will see you guys on another date!(:


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